High-Level Forums on aid effectiveness: Rome, Paris, Accra, Busan

Introduction

Rome High Level Forum on Harmonisation

Paris High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

Seoul High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

Introduction

Over the past 6 years, the OECD has organised 3 High Level Forums on Aid Effectiveness. At these Forums, a growing group of key stakeholders – including the international donor community, developing countries and civil society organisations – met to agree on the most effective ways to manage the aid process.  The first Forum was held in Rome in 2003, followed by Paris in 2005 and Accra in 2008.  The next Forum will take place in Seoul in 2011.  A vast quantity of analytical work is carried out in preparation for each High Level Forum, including Surveys on Monitoring the Paris Declaration, Evaluations of the Implementation of the Paris Declaration and Progress Reports.

The Rome High Level Forum on Harmonisation

In February 2003, major donors, multilateral organisations and aid recipient countries gathered in Rome for the first High Level Forum on Harmonisation.  They broke ground by agreeing on a common set of principles to improve the management and effectiveness of aid: the Rome Declaration. This Declaration differs from the Paris Declaration, in that it contains commitments solely on the donor side.  It focuses on the harmonisation of donor procedures and practices so as to reduce transaction costs for partner countries.

More information on the Rome Declaration

The Paris High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, endorsed on 2 March 2005, is an international agreement adhered to by over 100 Ministers, Heads of Agencies and other Senior Officials. By adhering, they committed their countries and organisations to put into practice a set of principles to improve aid effectiveness, enabling them to reach specific targets by 2010.  This is the highest-level existing statement of international norms regarding aid delivery, with 56 partnership commitments and 12 indicators of progress.

More information

• Paris High Level Forum
• The Paris principles on Aid Effectiveness

The Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

The Accra Agenda for Action was agreed in September 2008 at the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. It contains a series of commitments to strengthen and accelerate implementation of the Paris Declaration.  While it does not replace the Paris Declaration and does not contain any additional monitoring arrangements, it elaborates on and sharpens the Paris commitments in important ways.

The official website for the Accra High Level Forum provides access to the many background documents prepared for the event, as well as guides to the Roundtables and Side Events.

For a detailed guide on the AAA commitments click here

Busan High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

Preparations are already underway for the next High Level Forum, to be held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2011.  For this event, which will take stock of progress toward the targets set out in the Paris Declaration, a final round of monitoring, together with a full evaluation of the impact of the Paris Declaration, will be carried out.  Based on these analyses and the discussions at the Seoul High Level Forum, participants will decide on the way forward.

More information: Concept Paper for the 4^th High-Level Forum